


Kittens and Puppies

by Daretodream66



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Artist Steve Rogers, M/M, Vet Bucky Barnes, Veterinary Clinic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2019-08-29
Packaged: 2020-09-29 23:01:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20444003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daretodream66/pseuds/Daretodream66
Summary: Steve saves a kitten and Bucky is the vet that he takes her to.  Clint and Natasha are matchmakers.





	Kittens and Puppies

She’s just a tiny thing that fits in the palm of Steve’s hand, mostly white, but with a black mask, two black spots on her back and a black tail. Too young to be away from her mother, but her mother dead on the side of the road, Steve picks up the tiny ball of fluff and slips her into his hoodie to keep her warm. He stops by the pet store, picks up a can of formula and a bottle. 

Sitting on the sofa, Steve has her wrapped in a small blanket, feeding her from the bottle. The door opens and Clint comes in and Lucky bounds over to the sofa to sniff the newcomer. “Ah, are you kidding me? You found another one?”

Steve does his best to look embarrassed, but knows that as soon as Clint sees her, he’s going to fall in love with her too. “Her mother was hit by a car. She was the only one, I couldn’t just leave her there.”

Clint leans over the back of the sofa and his face gets soft. “Well, at least she’s cute.” He scratches the top of her head. “What are you going to call her?”

Steve’s been watching her all afternoon and has put thought into it. “I’m thinking Little Bit or LB.”

Clint shuffles down the hallway toward his room. “You are a sucker, Steve Rogers.”

Steve snorts. “I didn’t used to be, then I met you, Barton.”

Bucky walked through the door of his Brooklyn brownstone and found…puppies. Four of them to be exact. “NAT!”

Natalia comes around the corner carrying a fifth. “I can explain.”

Bucky bends down and scoops up one of the corgi looking puppies and it licks his nose. Laughing, he glares at his friend. “This should be good.”

She puts the one she has in her arms onto the floor and the four start to wrestle. The one Bucky is holding wiggles until the man places her on the floor so she can join the fun. “Clint called and someone had dropped these guys off at the shelter because…” She stops, controlling the anger. “Because a corgi got into someone’s yard and impregnated their precious, pure-blood miniature poodle.”

Bucky looks down at the five puppies, playing on his floor, and notices that some of them have wavy fur and two of them have kinky curls. “So, since they aren’t pure-blood they just get dumped?”

“Exactly!” She sits on the hardwood floor and the puppies begin attacking her. “They need to be vetted and until then, they can’t be adopted.”

It all made since now. “And since I’m a vet…”

Nat has the decency to flush at that and still doesn’t look up. “I’m sorry, I know it means work without pay, but it was kind of an emergency.”

Bucky sits on the floor across from Nat and the puppies don’t know who to tackle. “It’s alright. You know I hate people like that and if it means these guys find homes then why shouldn’t I help.”

She positively beams at him. “You’re a good man, James Barnes.”

He smirks. “I’m a fucking great man, Natalia Romanova.”

Steven Grant Rogers is an artist. Anyone who knows him or has heard of him will tell you, he’s probably the most talented artist of the 21st century. No one would know it looking at him though because he’s over six feet of muscle, with soft blue eyes and touchable blond hair, but the thing that throws everyone is his personality. He doesn’t have an arrogant bone in his body and he’s shy to the point of anxiety attacks when faced with new people. But, LB needs to go to the vet and be checked out. She’s been with Steve for three weeks and has started eating food. She sleeps in his bed every night, on the extra pillow.

“Clint, are you sure about this guy? I mean, she’s…” Steve carries LB into the room, cupping her against his chest like a precious treasure.

“For god’s sakes, Steve, he’s a vet, it’s what they do.” Lucky comes to Steve and he kneels down so LB and the dog can say hello.

Lucky has taken to the kitten to the point of having to check her over when she’s taken from him for any length of time. “Maybe I’ll take Lucky with me. That way if she gets nervous, he’s there to calm her down.”

Clint rolls his eyes, but nods because Steve’s become an over protective mother hen to the kitten. Usually, he brings home a stray, gets it healthy, then adopts it out, but LB has been different from the beginning. Steve’s keeping her: Clint knows it, Lucky knows it, LB knows it, but Steve doesn’t seem to know it yet. He keeps talking about her forever home. Clint just smiles and lets him talk about it.

The vet that Clint sends him to is clean, but there aren’t any other people in the waiting room. The girl behind the desk is striking and if Steve was straight, he’d probably ask her out. “Hello?”

Steve looks back to the desk, still confused about the empty office. “Uh, hi. I’m Steve Rogers. We have an appointment.” He’s concerned that maybe he’s late. “Are you closed?”

“No, you’re just the last appointment of the day. We close early today.” She looks over the counter, then at her computer screen. “I just have an appointment down for a kitten.”

Steve looks down at Lucky. “Oh…uh…he’s not here for a checkup. He’s here for moral support.”

She snickers. “For you or the kitten?”

Steve likes her, she’s snarky. “For the kitten.” He purses his lips and smirks at her.

They are shown into the exam room and Steve lets Lucky off leash. He goes and lays down near the exam table and LB crawls over his paws, getting into the bend of his body. Once she’s comfortable, Steve gets out his phone and clicks a picture because all you can see is a tiny kitten head peaking up, the rest of her body hidden in dog fur and giant paws. He sends the picture to Clint. The door slides open and Steve looks around.

If the woman at the desk was striking, it nothing compared to this man. Steve watches as he gets out his phone and the man clicks a picture of the dog and kitten. “That has got to be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Steve smiles big and bright at the man. “Hi, I’m Steve.”

The man looks over at Steve, finally, and loses his breath. “Hi.” He has to clear his throat because the hi comes out like a 13 year old boy going through puberty. “Sorry.” He offers his hand. “I’m Dr. Barnes.” He looks back at the dog and kitten. “And who are these amazingly cute furballs?”

Steve chuckles. “The dog is Lucky, he’s just here to keep her company.” Steve points at the kitten. “And this,” He picks up the tiny, mewing kitten. “is Little Bit, but I call her LB for short.”

Bucky takes the kitten, holding her against his chest and kissing the top of her head. “Seems like a fitting name, she’s tiny.”

Dr. James Buchannan “Bucky” Barnes is just shy of 6’1 and nothing but muscle. It comes as a surprise to most people that he’s a vet; everyone except his sister, who works the front desk, and is his only vet tech. They were orphaned when Bucky was 19 and already in college. He’d taken on raising his little sister while staying in college and working a full time job. Becoming a vet is all he’d ever wanted to do and a year later when his sister graduated high school, she’d gone to college too, but after trying out numerous avenues, she found that she didn’t want to do anything that took her too far from Bucky. Bucky had been so focused on school and Becca that he just didn’t date, the occasional hook up, sure, but never anything serious. So, walking into the exam room and coming face to face with the most beautiful man he’s ever seen was not on his agenda today, yet, here he is.

“Tell me about LB.” Steve looks up grinning.

“I found her about three weeks ago, her mom was dead and I just couldn’t leave her there. I bottle fed her for about two weeks, but a week ago she seemed to want more, so I started giving her canned food. She hasn’t really wanted the bottle since. I don’t know how old she is. I hope it wasn’t too soon.” Steve reaches over to scratch her head.

Bucky looks down at her, then back up to the soft look that Steve is giving her. “You did the right thing. Let me check her out and see.” Steve nods and Bucky starts the regular check up procedure.

Bucky puts her on the exam table and Lucky stands to keep an eye on her. Steve reaches down to scratch the dogs head. “Don’t worry, she’s okay.”

“He seems really attached to her.” Steve chuckles.

“Yeah, it took about 60 seconds for him to decide she was his.” The exam goes well and she’s pronounced healthy and happy. Putting her back on the floor, Lucky checks her over, licking her back. LB does a kitten version of purring and rubs against his leg.

Steve leaves the vet’s office with a last look at Bucky then has to lean against the wall outside to gather his wits. Bucky leans against the wall next to the reception desk. “I gotta tell ya Buck, that was one insanely handsome man.”

Bucky takes a deep breath. “He’s goddamn beautiful is what he is.” Going back to his office, he calls Nat. “Your friend just left.”

“He’s not my friend, he’s Clint’s, but what did you think.”

Bucky takes a shaky breath. “The kitten is in great shape. He’s been taking very good care of her.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it.”

“Jesus Nat, who is this guy?” Bucky rests his forehead in his hand.

“You remember that art show we went to a few months ago.” He hums an ascent. “He’s the artist.”

Bucky’s head shoots up. “Wait, he’s _the_ Steve Rogers?” Getting up, he paces around his office. “Fuck, how is that the same guy that created that gorgeous art?”

The laugh on the other end of the phone tells Bucky that Nat knew what reaction he would have. “You have his number now. You could just call him and ask him out.”

“You know I can’t use patient files for personal stuff. That’s unethical.” Bucky sits back down because he really would like to see this guy on a personal level.

Steve walks into the apartment and finds Clint sprawled across the sofa with a pizza box laying on his stomach and The Great British Bake-Off on the TV. “Why didn’t you warn me?”

Clint looks up grinning. “Because then you wouldn’t have come home looking like someone pulled the rug out from under you.” He takes a bite and grins.

“You’re an asshole and I’ll get you back for this.” Steve sits LB on the floor and takes Lucky’s harness off.

“What did he say about LB?” The kitten comes over, climbing the sofa. Clint moves the box to the floor so she can get onto his chest. He scratches her head and Lucky jumps up to lay on Clint’s feet.

“He said that she was perfectly healthy and I was doing a good thing being her dad.” Steve gives a soft smile to the kitten on Clint’s chest.

“So are you finally accepting that you’re keeping her?” Like Clint doesn’t already know that answer.

“Yeah…yeah.” Steve goes into the kitchen where he knows his pizza is waiting.

Bucky sits in the restaurant, looking across the table at his date. The man is boring as hell. Nat had fixed him up with a guy that she said could be Steve’s twin, but he’s really, really not. After 5 minutes Bucky was ready to call it a night. Yes, he has blond hair. Yes, he has blue eyes. Yes, he’s built, but he is not Steve. It’s been two weeks since that fateful vet visit and since then Bucky hasn’t been able to get Steve out of his head. It’s the soft, warm look in Steve’s eyes that makes him different from the doofus sitting across the table.

Steve’s built like a brick shithouse, but is caring and gentle. Steve has blond hair, but his glows in the right light. Steve has blue eye, but they sparkle with a slight green hue when he laughs. Bucky is fucked and this guy sitting across the table is a poor substitute for what Bucky really wants. Plus, he won’t shut up about going to the gym.

Finally, when the guy leans in and makes a suggestive remark about getting out of there and going back to his place, Bucky stands, puts enough money to cover his part of the bill and smiles a deceptive grin. “I don’t think this is going to work out. Have a nice life.” He walks out of the restaurant leaving a very confused blond at the table and runs into…a brick shithouse.

Strong hands reach out to steady Bucky. “Dr. Barnes?”

Bucky looks up into the eyes he’s been dreaming about for two solid weeks. “Steve?” It would be easy to convince himself that he had just imagined how beautiful Steve is, but face to face with the man, Bucky is stunned that he’s even more than Bucky’s imagination.

“Hey, we were just going in for dinner.” Bucky looks at his companions and sees his best friend grinning back at him. “You know Natasha, obviously, but this is Clint.”

Bucky reaches out shaking hands with Clint and sees a smirk on the shorter man to match the evil grin on Nat’s. “Hey, I’ve heard a lot about you. Why don’t you join us?”

Bucky looks at Nat, glaring his ‘I’ll get you for this later’ stare. She just laughs, grabs his arm and leads him back into the restaurant. “Yes, you should join us.”

“I…really…it’s…” Steve smiles at him and he’s fucked even worse than before.

“Come on, Dr. Barnes, I have pictures of LB.” Steve’s so fucking cute and seems a little shy about all of this.

“Yeah sure, but I’ve already eaten.” They are seated in the back, away from the table that Bucky had just vacated.

“Then you can have dessert and watch us eat.” Nat sits next to him, reaching over to put a hand on his leg. As long as they’ve known each other, he knows this is her way of saying it will all be okay.

They’ve been at the table for at least an hour and Steve is laughing so hard that tears are tracking down his face and Bucky is mesmerized. Clint keeps talking causing even more laughter. “No, I’m serious. She has this idea that she’s all grace and stealth, but she just fell right on top of Steve’s head.”

Bucky looks at Steve, who is smiling so wide and beautiful that it’s almost painful to watch. “She’s still a kitten and didn’t know any better.”

“It’s a shower Steve! She’s a cat.” Clint started the story, but is laughing so hard that he can’t finish. “Explain what happened and I’m sure they will agree with me.”

Steve holds up his hands. “Okay, okay, so she came in the bathroom while I was in the shower.” Bucky swallows hard thinking about that. “I think, I’m not sure, but I think she climbed the towel rack and tried to get on the shower curtain rod.” Nat groans. “She was trying to walk the rod and fell in. She landed on my head and I’m trying to grab her, but she’s got claws flying all over and screaming.” Bucky nearly falls out of his chair with laughter. “I finally got a grip on her, but not before I got scratched all to hell for my trouble. She walked around the rest of the day glaring at everything, including me.”

Clint sniggers and points at him. “And tell them what you did all day.”

Steve blushes. “I apologized over and over, but it didn’t help.”

Nat leans into Clint’s side. “You apologized to a kitten for something she did to herself?”

Steve chuckles. “Well…she’s just a kitten.”

Bucky puts his hand on Steve’s arm. “You’re a real kitten dad now Steve.” Steve looks down at Bucky’s hand, placing his over it.

“You could have warned me that being a kitten dad would be hazardous to my health.” Bucky smiles at him and sees Nat elbow Clint out of the corner of his eye. 

As they leave the restaurant, Bucky turns to Steve. “You should bring her back in for a check in.”

Steve blushes again. “Uh yeah, I’ll make an appointment.”

Bucky reaches up, picking a piece of nonexistent lint from Steve’s coat. “No need. Just show up and I’ll work LB in.”

The following week, Steve flies to Austin to help in the set up of a new instillation of his work. Clint brings Lucky into Bucky’s office for his yearly shots. When the door slides open, Clint grins at the crestfallen face that Bucky makes at seeing Lucky, but no Steve. “Sorry to disappoint, Doc.”

Bucky rolls his eyes and leans in to pet Lucky. “How do you put up with him? You’re such a good boy and he’s an ass.”

“HEY!” Clint pouts. “I was just an innocent bystander to your friend’s antics.”

“Yeah, I can believe that.” He starts Lucky’s exam and keeps looking over at Clint hoping he’ll volunteer some Steve information.

Clint finally takes pity on him. “Steve’s in Austin this week. A small gallery down there is displaying his unity pieces.”

Bucky’s face brightens. “I saw those at the gallery in Soho. He’s amazing.”

The exam finished and Lucky’s shots done, Clint stops before leaving the room. “Listen Doc, I know Nat is pushing this thing with Steve and you, but if you aren’t really into him, could you not…just not.”

Bucky knows there’s more going on than just a friend being protective. “If this is the shovel talk, rest assured it’s been received.”

Clint suddenly looks really uncomfortable. “It’s not that, well it is that, but it’s more than that.” He sighs. “Steve is different.”

Bucky indicates the chairs and they sit. “What exactly does that mean?”

Clint rubs Lucky for comfort. “When he was a kid, he was really sick all the time. We were friends and I can honestly say, I was his only friend. He was small, like really small.” Bucky raises an eyebrow in disbelief. “I know how he looks now, but that wasn’t always who he was.” Clint gets out his phone, pulling up a picture of him and Steve in high school. Bucky takes the phone then does a double-take at the picture he sees. Steve is standing next to Clint and is at least a half a head shorter and thin as a rail. Then he smiles because it’s still Steve and he’s still beautiful, just more fragile looking. “After we graduated, he did a medical trial and you see how it affected him, but he still sees himself as that little guy. He’s shy to the point of anxious and doesn’t date because of it. You’re the first person he’s shown any interest in and he’s been talking about you for weeks, so if you really want to…” Clint doesn’t know how to finish that statement without being pushy.

“If I don’t want a real relationship then stay away?” Clint nods, but doesn’t look up. “I can tell you that I’ve never had a reaction to someone the way that I did with him. I’d be lucky to have him in my life.” Clint positively beams at him.

The day after Steve returns from Austin, he takes LB to the vet for her check in. She’s perched on his shoulder and he’s looking at a nutrition poster about cats. He doesn’t hear the door open, so has no idea that anyone can hear what he’s saying to the kitten. “You’re a carnivore. I’d really like to understand why you steal the cheese off my sandwich then. The turkey or ham sure, but why do you like cheese so much?”

The chuckle behind him makes him startle. “A little cheese isn’t bad for them, but don’t let her have too much.” Steve grins widely as Bucky takes the kitten from his shoulder. “It’s good to see you, Steve.” LB cuddles into this chest and starts purring.

“She likes you.” Steve watches has Bucky scratches her chin and wonders what it would be like to have those hands on him.

“What about her dad? Does he like me too?” Steve’s eyes shoot up and see the genuine question on Bucky’s face.

Stepping a little closer, he takes the hand not cradling the kitten. “Yeah, her dad likes you too.”

Bucky squeezes Steve’s hand. “Enough to go to dinner with me tonight?”

At dinner they talk about anything and everything that pops up. Bucky asks about the trip to Austin. “It was amazing. I mean, it’s Texas, so I kinda expected to have to keep my sexuality low-key, but that was going to be hard since that’s what one of the pieces was about. Anyway, the gallery owner and her wife were amazing and took me all over the city.”

“You know, a few months before you brought LB in the first time I went to one of your shows.” Bucky blushes in embarrassment. 

Steve perks up. “What did you think? And be honest.”

Bucky looks up. “Steve, I don’t know anything about art, but I was mesmerized by what you can do. Nat dragged me there and then she had to drag me away because I didn’t want to leave.”

It’s Steve’s turn to blush. “Thanks, Buck. That means more than you know.”

When they finish dinner, Bucky takes his hand and they head away from the restaurant. “How do you feel about a walk?”

Steve squeezes his hand. “Sounds nice.” They end up walking for nearly an hour, but find themselves outside of Steve’s apartment. “Would you like to come up?”

Bucky looks into those blue eyes and can see how embarrassed Steve is at having asked. “Stevie, do you really want me to come up?”

Steve blushes furiously. “I really do, but I’ll understand if you don’t want to.”

Bucky cups his cheek, raising his eyes so that he can see Bucky. “Oh baby, I want to more than you know.”

The ‘okay’ that he gets is so soft, Bucky’s not even sure Steve said it. Whatever insecurities Steve has about himself, Bucky wants to help him see past them. Clint is out for the night, so LB and Lucky are curled on the sofa with Animal Planet playing in the background. Both animals get up to greet Steve and Bucky. “Hey sweetheart, how are you?” Bucky picks LB up and scratches her chin. Steve gives Lucky love by scratching his ears.

“Did you take good care of her?” Lucky barks an affirmative. “You always do.” He looks at Bucky with a soft smile. “You want something to drink?”

“Just some water.” Steve goes into the kitchen and the animals follow. Bucky has to put the kitten down so she can run after the dog. “These two are adorable together.”

Bucky hears Steve putting down food. “Yeah, I think both Clint and I lucked out with them.”

He comes out of the kitchen and hands Bucky the glass of water. Bucky takes it, sitting it on the table. Moving into Steve’s personal space, he takes Steve’s hands. “Anything you don’t want to do, you just have to tell me. I’ve been dreaming about you for weeks.”

“Me too. Couldn’t believe Clint sent me to a vet that was my perfect man.” Steve clinches his eyes shut having said it without meaning to.

“I’m far from perfect, Steve.”

Steve blushes again. “You only have to be perfect to one person.” He clears his throat. “My ma used to tell me that.”

“Sounds like your ma was a smart woman.” Steve chuckles. “What?”

“My ma would have loved you.” Steve allows himself to be brave and leans in, capturing Bucky’s mouth.

Bucky groans into the kiss and pushes further into Steve. They make it to Steve’s room, kissing, but when Bucky goes for Steve’s shirt, the taller man makes a distressed noise. Bucky halts all activity. He sees the anxious look and takes Steve’s hand. “Why don’t we lay down for a little while?”

He’s giving Steve and out. “I really wanna, Buck, I do, I just…”

“Steve, have you done this before?” Steve blushes and turns his head away. Bucky watches him closely and against the white of the pillow case he can see how red Steve is and that’s enough of an answer. “How about if we just talk and if you feel like you want to do more, you take the lead?”

Steve nods, but Bucky can tell there’s more going through his head. “I never really wanted to before.”

An odd question pops into Bucky’s head, but it’s worth exploring. “Steve, do you not like the idea of sexual contact?” Steve’s head turns quickly back to Bucky. “I mean maybe you just don’t want anything sexual.” Steve seems panicked by that. “And that’s okay. I just thought that maybe…you…”

“Bucky, I want to have sex with you. I want to feel you touch me and get to touch you. I’d like…” He blushes again and Bucky can’t get over how someone that looks like Steve can be this innocent. “I’d like you…in…me.”

“Holy jesus Stevie, yeah, I want that too, but not if you aren’t comfortable.” Bucky has to take several calming breaths just having heard the words coming out of Steve’s mouth.

“Did you really think I might be asexual?” Steve is almost giggling.

“Well fuck Steve, someone that looks like you and never had sex before. I had to ask.” Bucky joins him in giggles.

Then as quickly as the laughter starts, it stops when Steve leans over Bucky. “And if I was?”

“Wouldn’t matter to me either way. Just want to be close to you in whatever way you wanted that too.” As he finishes, Steve leans in and captures his lips in what Bucky can only describe as a filthy kiss.

It’s just kissing for awhile, then Steve’s hand travels south across Bucky’s abdomen, to the button on his pants. It snaps open and the zipper is pulled down so that Steve’s knuckles drag down his ever growing erection. With his pants open, Steve reaches inside; grasping Bucky solidly over his boxers and stroking down then back up. “This needs to be in me very soon.” His gives Bucky a squeeze to which the vet whines.

“Yes…please…soon.” Bucky throws his head back, eyes rolling back in his head. He’s never been a ‘quick shooter’, but Steve’s hand on him, even through the boxers, is a sensation that he’s never had.

Steve kisses across Bucky’s cheek and gives a quick lick to his earlobe. “Can I taste you, Buck?”

He gives another squeeze as he’s asking and Bucky’s cock gives a jump in response. “Fuckin hell Steve, do anything you want.”

The dark chuckle is almost enough to have Bucky coming in his pants. Steve slides down the bed and pulls Bucky’s pants and boxers to his thighs. Looking down, he sucks in a breath. Reaching out, he cups Bucky, who wants to scream with how good Steve’s hand feels. Leaning down, Steve licks from the base to the tip, then blows cool air across the tip. Bucky’s cock jumps again and his back arches. “Let’s get you more comfortable.” He helps Bucky get all of his clothes off and then sits back and stares. “Jesus you’re beautiful.”

“I think you’re overdressed for this, Steven.” Steve stands next to the bed, looking nervous, but with determination, he finally starts stripping off his clothes. The more he removes, the more turned on Bucky gets. By the time the last of his clothes hit the floor, Bucky is turned on more than he’s ever been. Steve is perfect and unlike what his ma told him, Bucky knows that all of society would think it. He can still see how unsure Steve is though, so he takes his hand and pulls him back to the bed. When he has Steve lying next to him, he caresses his cheek. “I don’t know who ever made you think your weren’t beautiful, but they don’t see what I see.”

“What do you see?” The voice is small and Bucky remembers the picture that Clint showed him.

“I see someone that’s perfect to me.” Steve’s smile is blinding.

Bucky wakes the following morning with the blankets pooled at his waist. Steve sits in a chair by the window, sketching. Bucky smiles sleepily at the look of determination on Steve’s face and the way his tongue pokes out. “Mornin.” Steve looks up smiling softly. He puts the pad down and comes over to the bed, leaning over, he kisses Bucky gently.

“Morning.” Bucky wraps his arms around Steve’s shoulders and pulls him back into the bed.

“How are you this morning?” Bucky is asking more than just a pleasantry. 

“A little sore, but in a really good way. You?” Steve lays next to Bucky, tracing his finger over his cheekbone and down his jaw.

Bucky shivers at the sensation. No one has ever looked at Bucky the way Steve does. “I’m awesome.” Steve chuckles.

“You’re more than awesome.” That makes Bucky bark out a laugh.

“You’re going to give me a big head if you keep complimenting me.” Steve leans down again, kissing Bucky’s neck and shoulder.

They both hear the front door and then Clint’s voice. “Why are you two out here and not in the bed with my lazy housemate?”

Steve pulls the blankets over his lower half, knowing what’s coming. Sure enough, his bedroom door opens without a knock and Clint stands gaping like a goldfish. “Well…okay then.” He leaves the room pulling his phone out. The next thing they hear is Clint telling who they both know is Nat, what he found when he got home. 

Bucky pulls Steve in so that his head is pillowed on Bucky’s chest. “We’re going to have to answer a million questions now. The first being, what is this.”

Steve lays silent for a minute. “What do you want it to be?”

Bucky takes a deep breath, kissing the top of Steve’s head. “Forever.”

A year later, Steve opens the door to find Max, one of the puppies from that litter of Corgi-poos, and LB sitting patiently waiting for him. Max wiggles his butt in his version of a tail wag and LB looks up calmly and blinks at Steve. “What is this all about?”

Bucky comes out of the kitchen, drying his hands on a towel. “I said that you were going to be home soon and they took up sentry duty.”

Steve looks surprised. “What are you doing home? I thought you were working late at the shelter. I would have come home sooner if I’d known.”

Bucky kisses him suggestively. “I didn’t want you home sooner. I had plans.” He pulls Steve into the kitchen where dinner is waiting on the table, soft music is playing from his iPhone on the counter and candles are lit.

“What is all this?” Bucky pulls the chair out and Steve sits.

“This is me treating you to a special dinner for your new show.” Steve looks surprised and pleased.

“Buck, you didn’t have to do this.” Bucky sits down and over dinner Steve tells him about meeting Pepper Potts, who was so impressed by his equality series that she bought it. “She had Tony Stark with her.” Bucky’s eyebrows go up. “I know, but that reputation he has, he earned it. He’s kinda a douche, but Pepper assured me that it’s not really how he is.”

“Pepper huh? First name basis with the most powerful woman in the city is going to be good for your career.” Steve laughs and Bucky just knows that this is it.

Getting up, he goes over to the counter, opening a drawer and pulling something out. Coming back over, he kneels next to Steve’s chair. The blond freezes in mid-chew. “Buck?”

“Listen, I’ve been trying to do this for months, but it never seemed right, until now.” Steve swallows and turns in his chair. “I love you. Hell Steve, I think I fell in love with you that first day in my office.” Steve smiles. “I know that I don’t deserve you in my life, but like your ma said you’re perfect for me.” The tears start to gather in Steve’s eyes. “I want to spend the rest of my life waking up with you every morning and getting to see your face every night before I go to sleep. True love is what I have with you. Marry me?”

Steve tackles him to the floor, kissing all over his face. “Yes! Always yes!” They are joined in the pile on the floor by Max and LB.


End file.
